Hello everyone !
Nope, you're not dreaming, this is a new chapter, and on time ! Yay !
As ever, I thank you all for your support and for carrying on reading this story ! And thank you to my wonderful Beta for making this story readable :D !
Also, as some of you may have noticed, I have finally created an account of AO3 but don't worry if you're not there, here will always be my first love ;) ! (I just wanted to reach more of the Class fandom as there are many more stories there)
Finally, on this November 27th, I am dedicated this chapter to my virtual syster, the one who always believes in me and who sent me her very first e-mail 12 years ago. I can safely say I would not be here today without her.
Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 36
Gwaine watched as Merlin pulled vegetable after vegetable from his pack. He was almost certain that they hadn't brought all of them from Camelot.
"Where did you get all this food?" He wondered aloud as he used his fingers to brush his hair back in some sense of order.
"Found the castle gardens earlier. Turns out vegetables kept growing even without gardeners" Merlin answered from where he was busy chopping carrots. "I'll show you later."
The knight stared at the casual sentence. He could see that something had changed in the warlock, that he felt… comfortable where he was.
"And when were you up exactly?"
"A while ago, I went down to prepare everything for the potion."
"You should have woken me!"
Merlin looked up at him with a frown.
"Why? It's not like you could have done anything to help Gwaine."
The knight really wanted to protest but had to admit that his friend was right. He was way out of his area of expertise here.
"What if someone attacked you or something?" He mumbled instead.
The warlock laughed.
"Well, I don't know if you noticed Gwaine but we're alone on this island. There's no one to attack me."
Gwaine crossed his arms, admitting defeat, watching as Merlin put his vegetables on to cook.
"So, what's the plan for today?" He asked after a moment.
"I thought we could explore a bit this morning and then at noon I will have to begin making the magic enhancing potion. It's really a patience game after that. Each ingredient has to be put in after a precise amount of time. Not too soon, not too late, and all with various incantations."
"What about the one for the calling?"
"I'll do it afterwards. The magic enhancing one can be stored for a small amount of time if you are in a magic-bathed place like here. The one for the calling has to be consumed immediately."
Gwaine nodded.
"Remind me again how long this will all take?"
"Around three days."
Three days. At first Gwaine thought that okay, right, not that long.
He thought he wouldn't notice the time pass.
How wrong he had been.
Granted, at first, he hadn't noticed the time pass. On the first day he and Merlin had explored every accessible part of the castle. Both men had been amazed at how impressive it was. And the knight had been even more fascinated by the fact that his friend instinctually knew his way around the maze of corridors.
He had questioned the ability and, once more, Merlin had simply cryptically answered that it was magic before explaining that he had somehow connected with the island when beginning to work on the potion. He said that it would help with the ritual if he could draw on the surrounding magic.
Gwaine struggled to grasp what that meant exactly but equally knew he never would because he didn't have magic.
After that, Merlin had lead him to the courtyard where he had set up his work place and then made him swear to never cross the stone circle.
"It is imperative that I am the only one in this circle Gwaine." He explained, sounding oddly like one of Gwaine's old teachers. The knight didn't like it one bit. "I really don't know what would happen to you if you went in it. Or to me… And I don't want to find out. This is where the magic will be at its strongest. Promise me you'll never enter."
The long haired man was reluctant but he trusted the magician in front of him to know what he was doing, so he agreed.
Merlin nodded with a small smile.
"Good. Now I really have to begin the brewing. Feel free to do anything you like."
And with that he turned to the altar and Gwaine watched as he began his work, lighting a small magical fire underneath his cauldron.
The knight hesitated for a long time but when it looked like Merlin wouldn't need him and that nothing interesting would be happening, he decided to carry on exploring the island.
He came just back as the light was beginning to diminish to find Merlin still standing in front of the altar, back to him. However, he immediately noticed that the warlock was more hunched than when he had left and that he seemed to be leaning against the stone in front of him.
He bit his lips to repress the want to cry out and check on his friend. He didn't want to risk scaring Merlin and making him drop something.
He came as close as possible to the stone circle without entering it and carefully observed the younger man. It was clear that the warlock's position was strained and Gwaine wished he could do something to help but he remembered his promise.
There was nothing he could do until Merlin finished.
The minutes that passed felt like hours to the knight but, finally, just as the last rays of sun entered the courtyard, Merlin took a step back. Gwaine could see that his hands were shaking slightly.
"Merlin?" He asked softly, making the warlock jump before turning towards him.
Gwaine saw the exhaustion in the lines around Merlin's eyes.
"You okay mate?"
He tried to kept his tone light but some of his worry bled through to the simple question.
Merlin nodded, his right hand reached up to rub at his neck.
"Yes, yes, of course."
And if that wasn't a lie, Gwaine would stop drinking. Experience told him however, that trying to get the truth out of his friend now would lead to nothing except more lies so he just nodded.
"Well then I think you deserve a long rest. Let's go back to camp and I'll cook tonight."
Merlin pulled a face that somehow reassured Gwaine even if he should be offended by his friend's lack of faith in his cooking abilities.
"I do know how to cook despite what you seem to think!" He exclaimed for the sake of it.
"Of course Gwaine, of course."
With a mock growl, the knight reached out and tugged Merlin's to his side, rubbing his knuckles into the younger man's skull.
"Ow! Gwaine! Stop it! I'm sorry! I'm sure dinner will be delicious!"
Gwaine stopped the mock torture but kept his arm around Merlin, grateful for the excuse to make sure his fried wouldn't kneel over from exhaustion.
The fact that Merlin let him do didn't help to alleviate his worry.
True to his words, the knight began working on dinner the second they arrived in the room that was serving as their camp while Merlin sat down heavily on his sleeping mat.
It didn't take long for food to be ready – mainly because the knight just used their dried meat and some vegetables from Merlin's morning harvest. Nonetheless proud of himself, Gwaine turned towards his friend with a smug grin. Only to find Merlin fast asleep, slumped sideway on his mat in what couldn't be a comfortable position.
The knight shook his head at the unfairness of it before settling the food back down. He went to his friend and gently rearranged his limbs so he wouldn't wake up with kinks in his every muscle and covered the younger man with his covers, smiling as Merlin snuggled in them with a contented sigh.
The next morning, Gwaine woke up to sunshine and a definitely Merlin-less room. Part of him thought he should have expected that. It didn't help the annoyance he felt towards his friend.
The only thing that somehow slowed his rising temper was the fact that the plate of food he had left for the warlock was empty.
With a grumble, he pushed himself up and snagged an apple before going out to look for his wayward friend.
As expected, he found his friend in the courtyard's stone circles in front of his cauldron. Carefully approaching, he saw that Merlin looked far better than the last evening and was somewhat reassured. He decided, however, that he wouldn't make the same mistake twice and would stay right where he was, standing vigil. Just in case something went wrong.
He disappeared just long enough to find some wood he could carve to pass the time and then settled down on the ground.
Two hours later and Gwaine knew two things: carving wood could only occupy you so long and he hated waiting.
Absolutely hated it.
And the wait was made even worth by the fact that as time trickled by he could see Merlin getting more and more strained.
He kept a careful eye on his friend as the young man mixed and incanted and it was clear that each bit of magic was beginning to take its toll.
Gwaine's skin itched with the need to do something but he forced himself to remember the promise he made to Merlin. He couldn't do anything.
When the sun reached its peak, Merlin took a small step back from the altar and reached for the water skin that has been lying on his right. The knight recognized it as the one the warlock had taken with him into the Crystal Cave. It made his back straightened at the memory of his friend's distress there.
He watched as Merlin poured the water slowly into the potion before carefully closing the skin again and placing his slightly shaking hands above the cauldron. He took a deep breath and then Gwaine heard him say another complicated incantation.
Just like other times, the words were gibberish to the knight, but this time, he could almost swear he felt a rush of something pass through him. He shuddered just before the warlock in front of him let out a cry, knees buckling underneath him sending him crashing to the ground.
Immediately on his feet, Gwaine rushed towards his friends and only stopped a hair's breath away from the stone circle.
"Merlin!" He cried out, uncaring that his voice was shaking in fright. "Merlin, answer me!"
He could see his friend's shoulders heaving and his limbs trembling as his head was bowed against the stone altar.
"Merlin!"
It took what felt like an eternity for the warlock to finally answer, voice rough and unsteady.
"I'm okay Gwaine."
"Like hell you are!" Gwaine answered, heart beating fast with anxiety. "Come back here!"
But, obviously, the knight should have known his stubborn friend wouldn't agree so easily.
"Can't. Have to finish this."
"Bloody hell mate! You're in no shape right now!"
Merlin ignored him, unmoving for a long time before shakily pulling himself up again with the help of the altar against which he leant his whole weight.
"I have to finish this." Merlin repeated and Gwaine wondered who he was trying to convince: him, or himself?
So? How was it?
For the record I also have to mention I am in love with Fantastic Beasts & that, as mentioned, the Doctor Who sequel Class is becoming a new obsession of mine.